Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a timer which comprises a power switching means, power supply means, timing means, and power turn-off means to de-energize said power switching means. The timing means includes a bank of individual switching means, at least two banks of individual impedance means, at least two patch cords and two terminal means coupling at least one of said individual switching means to at least one impedance means from each of said banks of individual impedance means whereby at least one of said individual switching means has the same preselected timing interval, and capacitance means connected in series to said banks of individual impedance means.
The present invention relates to timers and more particularly to timers wherein patch cords are used to preselect timing intervals. The present invention is an improvement upon Schmidgall U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,937 issued Oct. 23, 1973 which discloses a method of utilizing patch cords to preselect various time intervals in a timer. The method of selecting time intervals in the Schmidgall Patent requires the selection of one timing resistor for each timing interval desired and therefore in order to have the capability of selecting twenty different times the timer required twenty timing resistors. Various applications of timers require the availability of times which are only one second apart covering a wide time span, i.e. up to 240 or more seconds. In addition, many applications require that the same timing intervals be available to time more than one separate function. Referencing the Schmidgall patent, the present state of the art teaches that in order to accommodate times which are only one second apart would require as many timing resistors as seconds within the time span desired, i.e. 240 timing resistors, and that in order to provide the same timing interval to more than one separate function would require a timer having the same capabilities for each function. Through the improved utilization of patch cords and grouping of timing resistors the present invention provides a means for preselecting one second time intervals covering a wide time span using a greatly reduced member of timing resistors and also provides a means for preselecting the same timing interval for at least one separate function utilizing the same timing means.